Rumor has it

Origin

Humans have always traded unverified information, and by the early 20th century, the English language began to frequently personify the abstract concept of 'rumor' itself as the active agent in spreading news. Instead of saying 'There is a rumor that...', people started to imbue the rumor with a life of its own, as if it were a sentient being possessing information. This construction, 'rumor has it,' efficiently and engagingly frames the speaker as merely relaying what the collective, unseen force of gossip itself 'holds' or 'possesses,' creating a subtle distance from the information's veracity while still sharing the juicy details.